"After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her." Mark Twain, Diaries of Adam & Eve
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XXIII.
Adam faced Sarah on the twin settees positioned by the fireplace in her bedroom. She sat beside her mother as chaperone. Sarah appeared very nervous, and not at all put together as she usually was. He had surprised her, as it was still very early.
Really, he should have waited, but when was an appropriate time to break an engagement? The sooner they both understood their futures, the better. He could not let Sarah think there was a future between them for a moment longer.
"Lady Sarah, I am terribly sorry to hurt you," Adam said sincerely, his voice low. "But I cannot go through with this marriage. It will not work between us."
Sarah allowed her lip to tremble for a moment before she concealed her face with her handkerchief as she buried her face into it. Lady Ashley, however, did not conceal her feelings. Her eyes flared in a moment of pure rage.
"What is the meaning of this?" she hissed furiously, putting a protective arm around her daughter. "How dare you!"
Adam did not know what to say to make anything better. He knew nothing he could say would make it better. They both had a right to be angry. But he honestly could not feel guilty for feeling deliriously happy in that moment. He had spent the last month in utter misery, and he knew there were incredibly dark days ahead. For this brief moment, he wanted to be happy.
"I am sorry," Adam repeated. "I am so sorry," he added, looking upon the quietly weeping Sarah. He did feel very awful for hurting Sarah, as she didn't deserve it. She was young and beautiful, and she believed herself in love. Adam hoped that when she really fell in love, she would know that she had not lost anything to Adam.
"We had an agreement," seethed Lady Ashley. "Your mother and I had arranged everything! My husband is arranging my daughter's dowry as we speak! The engagement was announced!"
"And I beg you to please blame me," Adam offered. "I will wear whatever repercussions there are."
"Who else would I blame?" spat Lady Ashley.
"Is it her?"
Both Adam and Lady Ashley looked at Sarah, who had pulled her handkerchief away from her face to look upon Adam. Her eyes and nose had quickly become red.
"Who, darling?" pressed Lady Ashley.
But Sarah didn't answer her mother. She simply looked upon Adam with sad, quizzical eyes. "Is it?" she asked again. "I ... I hadn't suspected until ... it all made sense ... you even called me Grace once at a ball in London ..."
Adam nearly choked on his own tongue. Had he? Sarah certainly hadn't said anything, and he certainly didn't remember doing that. But it simply displayed how deep Grace was in his veins. Even when they were estranged, she was never far from his thoughts.
"And when she spoke of you yesterday," Sarah continued, her voice a little stronger now, "and I saw her eyes ... it wasn't only the colour that clicked, but the care she had when she ... she wanted me to protect you ..."
"Darling, who are you talking about?" Lady Ashley demanded to know.
"Denham, Mama," Sarah cried. "He's in love with her! And she's in love with him!"
Lady Ashley gasped in shock as her angry glare returned to Adam. "Oh, good Lord!" she spat. "A servant! What a vile little vixen!"
"That's quite enough," Adam said firmly. "I won't stand for any member of my household being the recipient of slander. It is not warranted." If she continued to label Grace foul names, he would certainly lose his temper. "Sarah," he said again, "I am sorry. I am so sorry for the pain I have caused you. If you would like to speak again a little later when you have had a chance to think, I understand. But if you would never like to see me again, I understand that, too. Lady Ashley, if you would like to have a discussion with my mother, I trust her to help you understand." Adam never thought he would use his mother and trust in the same sentence, and yet he had. He stood up and bowed his head, though it felt quite silly. "I will leave you ladies. Good morning."
Adam shut the door to Sarah's room and immediately started back towards the family's hallway, and the concealed panel he knew was there that would lead down to the kitchen. He knew there was a panel along this hallway, but he wasn't entirely sure which one it was, and he did not want to waste vital time pushing on walls when he wanted to get down to Grace.
***
Grace ate her breakfast quickly, becoming accustomed to needing to consume her food in a timely manner for when Sarah's bell rang. The general demeanour of the servants at breakfast that morning was quiet. They had all gotten over the initial shock of the duke's diagnosis, and were all internally preparing for when the house would move into full mourning. Grace had no idea what that would look like, but she did not spend much of her energy thinking about it.
Her thoughts never strayed far from Adam, as well as Jack and Susanna. If she could, she wanted to help all three of them. She had overheard Mrs Hayes fretting to Mrs Reynolds about Susanna's weeping, which had been passed on to her from the footmen at dinner the evening before. Grace wondered when she would get the opportunity to comfort her friend, to offer her the same comfort that she had given to Adam yesterday.
She quickly scraped the last remnants of the porridge out of her bowl and took the last sip of tea as the bell rang. Sarah seemed to always be the first awake, and so Grace was the first to leave the table.
Mrs Reynolds motioned to the tea tray that had been left on the benchtop for her as usual, and Grace smiled in thanks as she took it and went towards the stairs. As she diverted towards the back of the house where Sarah's bedroom was, she heard the faint sound of quick footsteps on the stairs. Someone was in a hurry, she mused. Grace balanced the tray against her hip as she pushed her way out into the hallway and closed the panel door behind her.
Grace walked up the hallway towards Sarah's room, balanced the tray once more and knocked twice, before letting herself into the bedroom. Sarah was not in bed, nor was she at her dressing table. Grace frowned as she quickly looked around the room before finding Sarah sitting by the fire with her mother. Sarah was in tears.
Grace abandoned the tea tray on Sarah's dressing table and raced over to Sarah, kneeling down before her. "Milady, are you ill? What's wrong? Would you like me to send for the doctor?"
"How dare you," growled Lady Ashley, in a tone that Grace had never been on the receiving end of before.
She stumbled backward in shock, falling on her rear before the fireplace. "I beg your pardon?" she gasped.
"My pardon is denied," snapped Lady Ashley as she protectively rubbed her daughter's back. "How dare you," she repeated. "Don't you know your place?"
"Milady, I am not at all certain of what you are accusing," Grace stammered. "What have I done?" Grace immediately tried to retrace her steps between when she had last served Sarah to now, and she could not think of any way in which she had behaved inappropriately. Yes, she had offered Sarah advice, but that had been meant with genuine kindness. She had certainly held her tongue when Lady Ashley had celebrated the duke's illness the day before. But Sarah had apologisedon her mother's behalf. Surely that was not what was making Sarah upset.
Lady Ashley laughed mockingly. "What have you done?" she repeated with a sneer. "You have bewitched the future Duke of Ashwood!" she cried. "That is what you have done! You are a whore and I will ensure that every door in London is closed to you. Mark my words! He will not get away with this!"
Grace recoiled from such an assault of words, an expression of pure horror on her face.
"Mama!" wept Sarah, but her mother ignored her.
"You will leave this house!" ordered Lady Ashley, pointing to the door. "The duchess will not allow you within twenty miles of this estate when I am finished with what I have to say! Get out, you filthy girl!" she screamed.
Grace could barely concentrate on anything as a terrified panic set into her very bones. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to the door, not understanding at all what has just happened! She hadn't done anything! She didn't know what they were talking about. She was Adam's friend. She had promised to be his friend! They both knew he would marry Sarah! Tears streamed down Grace's face as she realised that the duchess would absolutely abide by Lady Ashley's wishes. Cecily did not need an excuse to dismiss Grace, and with no position, her family would be turned out of their house.
***
Adam was thoroughly out of breath when he reached the kitchen, but he discovered that the servants were all seated down at breakfast, with the exception of Mrs Reynolds and the kitchen maids, who were busily preparing the family's breakfast.
They all turned to look at him with amazement, as a half-dressed Lord Beresford was not a usual occurrence in the morning. His eyes hurriedly looked over all the faces, searching for Grace's, but he did not see her.
"Forgive me," he puffed. "Good morning, everyone."
He received a startled greeting from the servants who looked to be trying to all get to their feet at once to bow and curtsey.
"No, please," he begged, holding up his hand. "Mrs Hayes," he called out, and his childhood nanny left her seat to meet him at the staircase.
"What is it, dear boy?" she uttered quietly. "You look quite ... excited."
Rather odd, he knew. "Please, where is Grace?" he asked her. "I need to speak with her this minute."
Mrs Hayes had a suspiciously look about her as she replied, "She has gone up to Lady Sarah, of course. The bell rang."
Adam paled. That was not good. Grace was certainly walking into hellfire this minute, and he could not go in there after her. It would be too insulting on poor Sarah. "I need to borrow a housemaid," he uttered. "I need someone to meet me upstairs."
"I will send Ruby in a few minutes," replied Mrs Hayes. "She is nearly finished her meal and I wouldn't disturb her as that would not be fair."
Adam nodded. "Alright, thank you, Mrs Hayes."
"Is everything alright?" Mrs Hayes inquired.
"Just send Ruby, as quick as you can," begged Adam, before he raced back up the stairs as quickly as his legs could carry him. Lord, he would need to practise this if it were to become a regular occurrence. How did the servants do it all the time? As he made his way to the panel he knew of, he suddenly wished he had waited for Ruby, as she would have been able to show him the way.
***
Grace nearly fell down the stairs, she was so distraught, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. She had been so good. She had taken everything that the duchess had thrown her way. She had kept her mouth shut and she had worked hard for months!
What was she going to say to her mother? How ever could she look her in the eye again?
She bumped into Ruby on the stairs, who promptly fretted over her with great concern.
"Grace, what's wrong?" she cried.
"I can't ..." she sobbed. "I need ... Mrs Hayes."
Ruby chewed on her bottom lip as she frowned, before her eyes flicked upstairs. "Yes, yes, go and see Mrs Hayes. Oh, I would come with you, but Mrs Hayes said I was needed upstairs." Ruby hugged Grace tightly, before they separated.
She was certain that the other servants heard her coming, though Grace could not control her sobs as she stumbled into the kitchen. She was certain that she looked ridiculous, but she needed Mrs Hayes' help.
The kind housekeeper was quickly on hand, pulling Grace away from prying eyes, and into her sitting room.
"What's happened? Did he find you?" pressed Mrs Hayes.
Grace hysterically shook her head, having no idea what Mrs Hayes was talking about. "Please, Mrs Hayes," she whimpered. "Please, you have to help me! I promise, I never did anything wrong! I never did anything inappropriate, but Lady Ashley called me such vile things, and it isn't true, any of it! Please, you must speak to Her Grace. I beg you, please! If I do not have my position here, my family will be out on the street!"
Grace could barely breath as she began to hyperventilate, and Mrs Hayes was hushing her as calmly as she could, drying her eyes with her handkerchief. "Just breathe, in and out," she instructed calmly.
Grace sucked in as many breaths as she possibly could, feeling as though she was not getting enough air. But she concentrated, trying her best to calm herself, to take controlled breaths. "Lady Ashley sacked me!" she finally confessed. "Please, Mrs Hayes. She said she would go to the duchess, but I never did anything wrong."
Mrs Hayes looked very unimpressed as she pursed her lips. "Dear Grace, Lady Ashely does not have any power to sack my maids," she assured her. "I will make your case to the duchess, do not fret. If she will not have you as a lady's maid, then I will take you back on as a housemaid. You needn't worry. Now, you have had quite the morning. You are in not state to work today. I want you to go home to your mother for the rest of the day. Come back for dinner, and I will have everything settled, I promise you." She cupped Grace's cheeks affectionately and brushed her tears away with her thumbs. "Go home," she urged.
Grace felt like bursting into a new wave of tears as every possible emotion flowed through her body. "Oh, God bless you, Mrs Hayes!" wept Grace.
Mrs Hayes smiled kindly, before she released Grace from her sitting room.
***
Adam waited in the hallway, growing more and more annoyed every second Ruby did not appear. While he waited, he kept watch over Sarah's bedroom door, willing Grace to appear so that he would not need Ruby's assistance.
He couldn't hear anything, but that was not necessarily a good sign. Lady Ashley could be stabbing Grace with a letter knife and he wouldn't know it. The thought shocked him, and he was about prepared to burst into the bedroom when a panel in the wall suddenly opened. For future reference, he immediately committed its location to memory.
The red headed housemaid who had helped them when Jack had made a mess in the library appeared and was quite startled by Adam immediately starting towards her.
"Good morning, milord," she greeted, curtseying nervously.
Adam could not have cared any less for formalities at that very moment. "I need you to go into Lady Sarah's bedroom and make up an excuse for Grace to come out. Tell her you need help with a task," he instructed firmly. "Please," he added.
Ruby frowned, and Adam was not sure how she had misunderstood his request.
"But Grace isn't in Lady Sarah's bedroom," she replied.
"What?" he snapped. "Where is she?"
"Well, I saw her on the stairs as I came up here," stated Ruby. "She was awfully upset about something. She wanted to speak to Mrs Hayes. In fact, I was going to check on her after I had seen to whatever needed my attention here."
Adam was about to bang his head against the wall. In fact, he did, and he immediately regretted it. And then he registered what Ruby had said about Grace being upset. Lady Ashley had been cruel, and he was not at all surprised. Sarah could stay until she wished to leave, but if that woman had said something unforgivable to Grace then he would personally pack her things. Or light them on fire.
Grace was innocent in this.
"I need to see her. You are dismissed, Ruby. I am sorry for wasting your time," Adam said frustratedly as he raced to the panel that Ruby had just come from. Ruby was close behind him. Adam had never run up and down so many steps in his life, and once again he startled the servants as they were finishing their breakfast.
Grace was not at the table, and Mrs Hayes was just taking her seat again. Before she could properly sit down, she saw him, and straightened her posture.
She hurried back over to him with an understanding look on her face. "She was in quite a state," Mrs Hayes reported.
"Where is she?" Adam demanded to know, not at all caring if the other servants heard him.
"Lady Ashley dismissed her," replied Mrs Hayes. "I am not certain of the circumstances, but Grace was adamant that there was no wrongdoing on her part, and I believe her. I will be speaking to the duchess a little later, but I sent Grace home for the day as she was in no condition to work, the poor girl. I told her not to worry as I fully intend to bring her back as a housemaid."
Adam hissed. No wonder she was so upset. He knew exactly how much Grace's income meant to her family. "How long ago?" Adam pressed. "How long ago did she leave?"
"Not five minutes ago," said Mrs Hayes quietly.
"I will bring her back, Mrs Hayes," Adam said determinedly. "Not as a housemaid, but as a future duchess." He left Mrs Hayes with a wide, gaping smile, and stormed across the kitchen, past the table full of servants with similar expressions of absolute astonishment. Adam pushed the kitchen door out of his way and took off at a run.
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God, even I'm puffed out after all those stairs hahaha
Just kept missing each other!!
Hope you enjoyed it!
Vote and comment!